Beyond Labz vs Concord Consortium STEM Learning Tools

Beyond Labz provides virtual science lab simulations for open-ended and guided activities in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and physics. Its pricing page lists more than 650 lab activities aligned with textbooks. Students can make decisions, observe results and repeat experiments in a risk-free setting; auto-graded assessments provide immediate feedback. Lab Cam records and timestamps each student step to give instructors a procedure log. Lab procedures integrate with LTI 1.0, 1.1 and 1.3 compliant learning management systems, including Canvas, Blackboard and Moodle, so students can receive, complete and submit assignments within their LMS. The instructor plan is free for teaching, previewing and building assignments. Chemistry, Physics and Biology each cost $31.95 as a one-time purchase for 20-week access; All Subjects costs $41.95, paid once for one-year access. Web labs support desktop systems and tablets, but not smartphones. Downloaded desktop versions require macOS Yosemite or later or 64-bit Windows 8 or later, 4 GB RAM and 3 GB free disk space.

Concord Consortium STEM Learning Tools is a nonprofit organization that creates research-based digital resources for inquiry-based STEM education. Its computational virtual labs model scientific principles so learners can explore otherwise invisible processes, including chemical reactions, genetics, evolution, and plate tectonics. CODAP is a free, web-based data science app for students, curriculum developers, and education researchers. It is designed for grades 5–14 and supports data analysis across subjects with drag-and-drop graphs and maps, linked graphs, maps, and tables. Users can import data from spreadsheets, URLs, files, or plugins. Plugins can connect to census, weather, and sensor databases, and a PhET projectile simulation plugin is featured. Developers may add plugins or contribute to the open-source code. Resources include interactive simulations, virtual experiments, guided lessons, and assessment tools. The organization also offers research collaboration, consulting, custom models, assessments, and professional development.